Enough with the Leggings! Why Resin Makes Us Want to Wear Jeans Again

There is something indubitably American about (a) denim and (b) two brainy, hustling New York City hipsters. Chantel Valentene, a native of Brooklyn, first met the small-town Louisianan DurangoAdams while they were both studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology. After five years of freelance designing, these self-proclaimed “denim-heads” quietly launched their jeans line, Resin—you might have stumbled across it in Barneys—at the end of last year—with the help of friend and co-founder of Paper Denim & Cloth Chris Gilbert. “We all brainstormed for months on why there needs to be another denim brand in the market,” says Valentene. Clearly they thought one does. What separates Resin from the glut of denim labels is its inventive approach to the most utilitarian fabric on the planet. The name of the brand derives from their use of synthetic resins (usually it’s a natural substance found in plants and trees). “Resin, the chemical solution, changed the face of the denim industry from the basic stone and acid washes of the eighties to the crisp and gloss-coated unwashed denim of today,” explains Valentene. Technicalities aside, it’s evident they’re doing something right from the looks of the brand’s body-hugging burnished skinny, the Lariat ($148), which is manipulated to instantly feel worn-out while being soft to the touch. Or their subtly washed black-garnet signature skinny jean, the Catalyst ($154). The Artisan denim trouser ($154)—which brought them to our attention—takes its cue from menswear. “We’ve relaxed the fit and shortened the length to keep it sexy yet comfortable,” says Adams. There is an artsy (installment artist Ibrahim Ahmed III designed artwork for the pocket linings) and organic feel to the label, which is as effortlessly cool as this pair of jeans-obsessed designers.